Leaving
by Tortured Soul
Summary: Set after the Malchior episode. Raven has finally come to the realization that her friends would be better off without her, so she runs away to Gotham. There, she is taken under Batman's wing. R&R! NO FLAMES! Rated for safety
1. Chapter 1

**(A.N.: I'm gonna say that this happens after the Malchior episode, okay? Hope you enjoy, not one of my bests, but it's good enough! NO FLAMES! If I get one flame, my evil demon side will torture the person who sent it! Flames will not stop me from writing!)**

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN THE TEEN TITANS OR BATMAN, SO ALL YOU LAWYERS GET AWAY!**

"Raven? Raven? Won't you please come out of your room for a while?" The boy wonder pleaded with the Ice Queen of Titan's tower. Lately she had been secluding herself more, paying less and less attention to the rest of the team.

"NO." Her voice was monotonous, but one could feel the venomous look she was directing at Robin, even through the thick door.

"Please? It would mean a lot to me and the rest of the team…" His voice was full of innocence and pleading.

"If it'll get you to leave me alone, then fine!" Reluctantly, she lowered herself to the ground and moodily walked to the door. She swung it open, greeted by a surprised Robin.

"Wow! I never thought that I would be able to do that…" He scratched his head and glanced sideways at her. Her face was pale, paler than usual, and dark circles were under her eyes. Her usually straight hair was tangled, and a look of disgust was painted on her face. She swayed back and forth before ambling into the lounge where everyone was currently residing.

"_Are you feeling okay, Raven?" _Robin asked her telepathically. There was a moment's pause before he got a truthful answer.

"_Lately I have been feeling a little…odd…nothing to worry about though…" _A wave of worry washed over Robin; he hadn't even noticed the change until now. She was more depressed, darker, creepier. A series of beeping grabbed everyone's attention.

"Titans trouble!" Cyborg yelled. They all rushed into the T-car, all forgetting about what they had been doing.

* * *

"Ha ha ha! Finally all the jewels will be mine!" Dr. Light laughed maniacally as he sped out of the jewelry store, holding a bag full of diamonds and rubies.

"That's what you think!" Dr. Light's laughter subsided as he looked up to see the Teen Titans ready for action. Beast Boy transformed into a rhino and charged at the villain; Dr. Light quickly dodged the attack effortlessly. Starfire, eyes glowing green, was furiously throwing star bolts at him. He quickly dodged these also. He even managed to evade the birdarangs that Robin was throwing left and right. Cyborg's cannon was also no match for the villain; Dr. Light easily avoided the sonic blasts. Finally, it was Raven's turn for action. Uttering her mantra, she levitated off the ground and into the sky, a black aura surrounding her hands.

"Azarath Metrion Zenthous!" Dr. Light was shrouded in the dark magic, flailing wildly for freedom. She directed his body right up to her face, a look of hatred in her eyes.

"Remember me?" His face brightened up and he smiled evilly.

"How could I forget? Tell me, how are things going with your friends? The ones who think you're creepy and weird? The ones who hate you?" Hurt and anguish washed over Raven's face as she slammed the villain into the ground. This merely made his smile grow, so she continued until his evil smirk was completely gone. As she prepared to give the last blow, Robin stepped in.

"Raven, calm down! You're gonna kill him!" Raven lowered herself to the ground, tears in her eyes. A genuine look of sorrow was etched on her face.

"I'm so sorry…I don't know what came over me…." It was too late for apologies, though. Robin couldn't hold his anger inside and exploded in her face.

"Wha were you thinking? You lost control, Raven! You could've killed him!" The tears that had formed slowly trickled down her face, as she threw her communicator to the ground. She snapped around and began running out of the town. Robin chased after her, regretting snapping at her, trying desperately to keep up, but she was too fast.

"RAVEN COME BACK! I'M SORRY! RAVEN!" She looked back at him, her face shiny from the tears. She disappeared into the ground, leaving them all behind.

* * *

"_Dr. Light was right. They don't like me…they think I'm creepy and weird. A burden to them all. I'm no fun…and not even a good hero…they'll be better off without me, anyways. I'll go to Gotham…maybe I'll meet up with the Batdude." _She sighed aloud as she continued down the dusty roadside. Cars sped by, some people stopped and asked her if she needed a ride. While it would be nice, she needed some alone time. Plus, she didn't trust most of them.

"_Pedophiles and molesters…they would surely rape me and murder me…" _So, she slowly made her way to the Dark City, Gotham, USA.

* * *

At the tower, Robin and the other Titans all sat on the couch, deep in conversation.

"I was way too hard on her…that's why she left…" He was pacing up and down, biting his nails nervously.

"Maybe the friend Raven will come home. Maybe she was seeking the space…" Starfire tried to sound as optimistic as she could, but the thought of Raven leaving was badly upsetting her. Beast Boy's face was full of sadness as he held back the tears that threatened to pour out.

"No, Starfire. She's not looking for space. She left. Because of me, she left!" He kicked the cabinet in a fit of rage.

"_I'll go to Gotham…" _The thought floated into Robin's mind. Slowly, he realized what this meant.

"I know where she's going!" He raced out of the lounge, and into his own private room. Grabbing a phone, he dialed a number very familiar to him.

"Hello?" An older sounding man answered.

"Al, it's me Robin. Is Bruce around? I really need to talk to him." Robin emphasized the word really. There was silence on the other end as Alfred processed the words that had just been blurted out at him.

"Ah, yes, Master Richard. Bruce is right here. Hang on." Robin tapped his foot impatiently, waiting for his adopted father to pick up the phone.  
"Robin? Is everything all right?" Worry and concern was thick in Bruce's voice.

"No, listen, one of my teammates ran away and she's heading for Gotham. I need you to keep an eye out for her. Can you do that for me?"

"Um….sure…can you tell me what she looks like?" Robin pondered for a moment as he thought about the dark girl. _"Beautiful, breath taking….lovely…" _

"She's a Goth, really dark and stand offish. She's kind of tall with short, purple hair. Her eyes are violet colored, and her skin is ashen. She'll be wearing a dark, navy blue cloak, probably with the hood up. Listen; if you find her, try not to upset her…she's got powers that don't allow her to show her emotions…" Robin's voice was full of affection. He had always loved and cherished his Raven. And now she was gone, all because of him. His eyes burnt as the tears slowly formed.

"Sounds like you really like her. I'll be on the lookout for her. If I find her, I'll call you."

"Thanks, Bruce, you're a lifesaver." Bruce laughed half-heartedly, and hung up on his son.

"If you don't mind me asking, what was all that about?" Alfred asked curiously.

"One of Robin's teammates ran away and is coming here. He wants me to keep an eye out for her…" Alfred stopped drying the plate he was holding, and his lips curled up into a smile.

"Sounds like Master Richard has a crush." Bruce merely nodded his head, deep in thought.

* * *

She had been walking for what seemed like days before she reached the outskirts of a dark city. Her clothes were torn and ragged, her hair plastered to her forehead. She was exhausted, barely containing enough energy to lift her legs. But she had to. She had to make it to Gotham, to escape her unloving friends.

As she entered the city, two thugs came out of the shadows and grabbed hold of the half-demon.

"A'ight girlie. We ain't gonna hurt ya's, as long as you don't scream or move around too much." He began ripping off her leotard and threw her on the cold pavement. Terrified, she tried to muster up enough energy to summon up her powers, but she was too weak. The two men pulled down their pants, and proceeded to rape her. She grunted in agony, and tried to leave, but was too weak.

A dark figure grabbed them up by their collars. Pathetically, they struggled to be let down.

Raven watched in horror as the figure threw the two thugs into the air, then bent down to look at their victim.

She cringed as the figure reached out to touch her, and a nearby light pole melted to the ground. Her vision began to blur, and she passed out just as the figure picked her up bridal style and carried her to the mansion on the other edge of town.

* * *

The sound of a crackling fire abruptly awoke her.

"Where am I!" She demanded, her mind foggy. A man to her right answered her kindly.

"Gotham City." She stared at the man, a confused expression painting her face. She tried to sit up, but the man gently pushed her back on the pillow.

"Who are you?" He smiled, eyes twinkling warmly.

"My name is Bruce Wayne. This mansion belongs to me. I found you in an alleyway; two young thugs had…raped you. After I dealt with them, I went to check on you, but you had passed out. So I carried you here." She nodded, remembering the horror and pain she had been in. She felt afraid, untrusting of this man. Her emotions got the better of her, and a lamp shattered on a desk adjacent to the warm bed she was laying on. She looked nervously at Bruce, who blinked several times before speaking up.

"That was odd…" He suspected that this was Robin's missing teammate, the one with the strange powers. She looked just as he had described, but first, Bruce wanted her to become comfortable around him. He wanted her to tell him about her unique powers.

"I'm sorry…you see, I have telekinetic powers that feed off my emotions. If I get scared, afraid, or mad, and show it, something usually breaks or melts away…I can pay for it if you like. It looked very expensive." Her voice was timid and apologetic. Bruce was now sure that this was the girl Robin spoke of.

"That's all right. It came from Wal-Mart anyway…Can I ask why you ran away?" He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, but she brushed it off immediately. She had become afraid of men.

"What makes you think I ran away?" She had moved as far away from him as possible, and had curled up in a protective ball.

"Well, it was just a guess. But judging by your response, it was a good one." Sympathetically he looked at the young teen in front of him, the pained look in her eyes.

"_Poor dear, she's been through a lot in one day…" _

"Nobody liked me…" She was on the verge of tears and began to rock back and forth, trying to comfort herself.

"I'm sure somebody liked you." His voice was reassuring, full of wisdom. But she didn't listen. He couldn't possibly know what it was like to be her. To be unable to show any emotion. To be known as creepy and weird.

A sob escaped her, making the lights flash on and off.

"Just get some sleep right now." He walked out the door and into his private study. All his thoughts were focused on the crying teen, the hurt child.

* * *

Robin lie in his bed, looking up at the ceiling. _"I wish I hadn't of yelled at her like that. She looked so hurt. As soon as I find her, I'm gonna hug her so tight and never let her go. She'll never be hurt again…not by me or anyone else." _

The sudden ringing of the telephone broke his train of thought. Dazedly, he picked it up and answered.

"Hello?"

"Robin, I found your teammate, but…" Robin broke him off and began to chatter excitedly.

"Tell her I'll be right there…and that I love her…"

"Robin! Listen to me. She was raped…I think she's in shock or something. She won't let me touch her. Or Alfred. I think you need to let her stay with me for a while. She needs a vacation, some time away from the Titans." Robin pondered this for a moment, and then quickly decided against it.

"She won't even let you touch her! How is she going to feel comfortable, feel safe in a city where she was raped? How will she feel around complete strangers?" His voice was shrill and angry. How dare Bruce keep him away from her.

"Robin, she needs sometime away from you! She ran away! If you bring her back, she'll just run again, and something worse may happen to her. I'll tell her I called you and see what she wants to do. If she wants to go home, she can. If she would rather stay here, that's her business. Deal?" Reluctantly, Robin agreed.

"Deal. But what about your secret identity? She'll figure it out sooner or later; I did…And she's ten times smarter than me." There was a silence on the other end.

"If she finds out, then let it be." His voice was full of confidence that the girl would not expose his secret to the tabloids.

"Bruce, take good care of my Raven." Robin knew whom she would choose, just like he knew that Bruce, like always, was right. With that, he hung up, and fell into a fitful sleep.

* * *

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" Her screams broke the silence of Bruce Manor. Bruce jumped off his couch and into the room where had been sleeping. A black aura shrouded her in darkness, as she tossed and turned, screaming at invisible rapists. He raced over to her, dodging the many items that flew at him.

"Wake up! Wake up; it's just a dream, Raven. Just a dream." The aura disappeared, leaving her crying hysterically. She grabbed him up in a hug, crying on his shoulders. Taken back, he gently patted her back, whispering softly into her ears.

"Everything will be all right. It was just a dream. No one's gonna hurt you…" He broke free of her hug, held her at arms length, and scanned her with his eyes. Her ashen face was splotchy red from crying, the whites of her eyes bloodshot. Once she realized he was touching her, she pulled out of his strong grasp, and curled into a fetal position, beginning to rock back and forth again.

"Raven, I'm not going to hurt you. I promise. I need to ask you something very important, okay?" His voice was soft and low; he didn't want her to shy away from him in fright.

"Okay…" She murmured, barely audible.

"I called Robin, your leader, and he wants you to know that if you want to, you can stay here for a little while. Kinda like a vacation. He said it's up to you. He won't be mad if you stay here." He talked slowly and clearly, like speaking to a five year old.

"How do you know Robin? How did you know he was my leader?" Her tone was suspicious and distrusting.

"Robin's my son. When you ran away, he called me and told me to look out for you…" She nodded a little before timidly asking:

"He won't get mad at me?" Bruce had to bend down low to understand her. After a minute of thinking what she'd said, he shook his head gently.

"No, he won't get mad. He understands completely. He said whenever you're ready to come home; you're welcome back. Just take as much time as you need."

"Do…do you mind?" If possible, her voice got even quieter.

"Not at all." She nodded her head slightly.

"I wanna stay her for a while…but not too long…I don't wanna be a burden…" She then closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

"No, my child, you stay as long as you want. You will not be a burden at all…not at all…" He pulled the covers up to her chin, and walked at the door. Before he closed it, though, he looked compassionately at her, already beginning to think of her as a daughter.


	2. Chapter 2

Raven stirred a little as the warmth of the sunlight tickled her back. She opened her eyes slowly and pulled the covers off her. She stood and stretched her body, shaking off the remaining exhaustion. On the nightstand was a handwritten letter from Bruce. Assorted items were neatly piled underneath it; items such as her mediation mirror, the book she was recently reading, several changes of clothes, her antique hairbrush, her toothbrush, and her journal.

Quizzically, she read the note, wondering how he had gotten all of her belongings.

**Dear Raven,**

**Robin brought these over late last night while you were asleep. If you want, you can take a shower in the bathroom to the right. This will be your room for as long as you stay. You are allowed to go into any chamber of the mansion you wish. Help yourself to anything in the kitchen, or get Alfred to make you something. I want you to feel as comfortable as possible; my home is your home. If you wish to talk to someone, feel free to come to me. Also, please accept this money, go to the mall, and buy whatever you want. I will be gone for some of the day, but should be back before lunch. You may do anything you like, just don't talk to the press or invite anyone over. Have a good morning! **

**Love, **

**Bruce**

She held the note in her shaking hand, staring at it dumbly. The very thought of Robin made her cringe in fear. He had been so angry with her. Slowly, she grabbed a change of clothes from the stack and her hairbrush and toothbrush and timidly walked into the bathroom. There, after rummaging through the cabinets, she found two fluffy towels and placed them on the counter. She turned the cold water on full blast and stripped herself of her clothes. Using her powers, she threw them away in the garbage, never wanting to see them again. She had six pairs of the same outfit, anyway.

She felt so dirty as she stood under the cool water. She scrubbed herself vigorously, trying to rid herself of the feeling. Finally, after an hour of intense showering, she felt clean again. She dried herself off, and then towel dried her hair. She put on a dark blue leotard and a black cloak. She placed her usual belt on her hips and began to brush her hair straight. Once that was done, she brushed her teeth half-heartedly and looked herself in the mirror. _"Good…I look much better…" _

Cautiously, she stepped out of her bedroom and into the long corridor. She looked around for any sign of life, but was surprised to find none.

"Where is everyone?" She asked aloud.

"Well, Master Bruce and I are the only ones living in this house now that Robin moved away." A voice behind her answered. He gave her a questioning look before turning to walk down the corridor. She followed him, keeping a safe distance behind.

She found herself in a massive kitchen, bigger than the one in Titan's Tower. Nervously, she glanced around the large room, looking at all of the pantries that lined the room.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" Alfred asked generously. He grinned a little, bowing slightly.

"Just show me where everything is please. I can fix myself something." She said, voice barely audible, avoiding eye contact with Alfred. He nodded and gave her a small tour of the kitchen, pointing to pantries and cupboards and telling her what was in each.

When he was finished and left, she summoned her powers and telekinetically moved the loaf of bread onto the counter in front of her. Then, she summoned for the toaster. It gracefully flew to her, electrical cord trailing behind the rest of it. She plugged in the toaster and placed two pieces of bread in the slots. She pulled down the trigger and watched as the bread slowly tanned. **(A.N.: I know; I'm such a loser for talking about toast. I was hungry when I wrote this. And I know bread doesn't tan, per se, but it turns that nice brown color, you know? I didn't know how to say that without going "she watched as the bread turned brown". So don't bug me about that!) **

"So that's how your powers work." Bruce stated, apparently amazed. She turned around to see the man sitting at the dinner table, watching her intently. She nodded several times before retrieving a plate from the pantry. At that same moment, the toast popped up, dark brown. She walked to the fridge and got the butter out. Grabbing a butter knife with her powers, she buttered the toast. Putting all the materials back in their place, she sat down at the table with her breakfast.

"Good morning." He tried to start a conversation with the teen, but she was afraid. Afraid of him. Afraid of all men. Distrusting.

"Good morning." She replied her voice slightly louder, but barely. Silence filled the room as she began to eat greedily, hungry stomach still growling when she was finished.

"Why do you live all alone?" She broke the silence between them. Glad for the opportunity to talk, he began chattering away.

"I always found living by one's self the best way to live. No one to bother you; no one to come barging in on you. You can concentrate and think clearly." He stared at the attentive young girl.

"Don't you ever get lonely?" She was full of curiosity about this man. About Robin's father.

"Eh, sometimes I do, but I've got Alfred, and every once in a while I get a wayward teen to deal with." He chuckled lightly, eyes sparkling brightly. Her face brightened a little as this. He seemed to be a good man, but she was still unsure about him.

All of a sudden, she felt a wave of sadness hit her. Tears formed in the empath's eyes.

"What's wrong?" Bruce asked concernedly.

"What makes you so sad?" Her voice was cracking as she asked this. He glanced sideways at her, appalled at her ability to cue in on his emotions.

"How do you know I'm sad?"

"My powers. I feel other people's emotions, along with mine." Bruce nodded, and raised his eyebrows slightly. He was interested in her abilities; they were strange, unique, and probably made a good fighter out of her.

"I'm always sad. I lost my parents when I was a young boy." He got up from the table and stared out the window sadly.

"I also lost my parents. I was born in Azarath, when my father, a demon known as Trigon, married a human. She had me, but a prophet prophesized that I would bring the end of the world when I turned a certain age. My father destroyed my whole dimension, my whole world, and then he came to this world through me. He took over the world, turned everything to stone; I had to kill my father to bring this world back to life." **(A.N.: I have no clue about the whole demon marrying a human thing; I'm guessing! It's not a very well known subject with me. They never seemed to touch on that topic throughout the TV series, so I will never know about that side of her. Especially since they cancelled the show! Darn Cartoon Network!) **

Bruce stared intently at the girl. She had been through so much at such a young age. Yet, here she was, still standing tall, able to talk about it. But now, she had to go through this rape as well. He couldn't imagine what emotions she was having to conceal.

"Wow, Raven. I'm sorry. Words cannot express the sadness I have for you." She giggled at this and immediately apologized.

"I'm so sorry. It's just that I never loved my dad, so his death was a good thing. But my mom. It was so long ago that I saw her. I didn't even get to say goodbye…Bruce, I'm sorry that I was so inconsiderate. Here we were talking about you and…" Bruce stopped her from saying another word.

"No, my child. Do not be sorry. One should only be sorry when something is done wrong. And you, my dear, have done nothing wrong." He smiled lightly at her, trying to catch her eyes. So far, she had not looked anyone in the eyes since he found her. **(A.N.: I know that is not something the Batman would say, but oh well! It's my FanFic!)**

The silence had once again grown between the two, quickly unnerving Raven.

"I'm sorry, but I really need to be alone for a while." Surprised that she had said so much, Bruce tried again to look her in the eye. She evaded his gaze, not wanting to look into them, knowing that she would see into his mind. No, she was not ready to see his mind; she needed to deal with her own problems right now. He gave her a quizzical glance. **(A.N.: Why is everyone so OOC! I really don't mean them to be, but come on, Raven just got dumped by some dragon dude and now she's been raped! Of course she's going to be OOC. As for Batman, I have no reason why he is OOC, but I apologize. It's all my fault!)**

"I just need to be alone…" She explained hastily. He nodded in understanding and allowed her to go into her room.

Once there, she crossed her legs and began clearing her head. She held the meditation mirror arm's length away and stared into it for several seconds. A dark, clawed hand pierced through the glass, grabbing her and pulling her into the mirror. Into her mind.

* * *

She fell into her land of Nevermore; the sky was black, with cold, red stars. Twisted, grotesque trees lined a small, rocky path that seemed to lead to nowhere. Strange crows with piercing, red eyes cawed at her softly.

"I'm here!" Gently, she called for her emotions. One by one, they all flew to her, each in a robe of different color.

"Ravey, are you okay!" Happy asked. Upon seeing the look in Raven's eyes, Happy drooped a little. She already knew the answer.

"No! First, I the only love I ever had left me; he had been using me. Then, I finally realized how much my friends really hate me. And now, some horrible men have raped me and rid me of my virginity!" Rage appeared among the emotions circling Raven.

"Let's rip their throats out." Her four eyes all sparkled evilly; Raven sniffled a little, then scoffed at Rage's wickedness.

"No! Let's not!" She threw her hands up, signaling that she would not hear anymore from the emotion. Rage backed away out of the circle that surrounded Raven, a bland smile plastered on her face.

"Raven is right, Rage. Violence is not the way to go. Right now, Raven needs to open up a little and allow someone to help her." Knowledge piped up, sounding very intelligent. Rage gave her a scornful look and muttered something under her breath.

"Raven doesn't need help! She just needs to be courageous and put the past behind her!" Bravery forcefully said, signing ferociously with her hands. She had her fist raised to the sky looking as if she had just given a power speech. **(A.N: You know when people are in the middle of a really important speech and they all of a sudden kinda punch the sky? Imagine Bravery doing this!)**

Raven's emotions were now all fighting with each other, all except Rage. She merely watched with pleasure as her sisters all argued with one another.

"Stop it! Stop it all of you! So far, none of you have helped me!" Her emotions quieted down, and Timid was the next to speak.

"We are sorry, Raven. Terribly sorry." The frail emotion burst into tears, gaining the attention of Raven and her emotions.

"It's all right. Please don't cry." Raven gently patted the girl's back, calming the emotion greatly.

"It may help you if you talk to this man…Bruce, I believe his name was." Knowledge once again got back on the subject of talking to someone. Everyone groaned, including the Dark Girl.

"Oh yeah, sure. Not only will he think she's weird; he'll think she's insane as well!" Rudeness screamed loudly, full of sarcasm. Knowledge glared at her, but Rudeness did not back down.

"What do you know? All you can do is criticize others and burp!" Knowledge was screaming in fury, causing Rage to step back in the circle. Raven, seeing this, jumped in.

"Stop it you too!" They stopped abruptly, both wearing apologetic expressions on their faces. Rage stepped away again, a look of pure hatred on her face. But that's all she could do. Hate.

Raven nodded towards Knowledge.

"I think I'll take your advice. Thanks." The emotion nearly bubbled over with happiness, and with that, Raven teleported back into her room in Bruce Manor.

* * *

A wave of exhaustion hit her as she returned to the comfortable room. Going back and forth between her mind and the real world always took a lot of energy. She plopped on the large bed and fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. Her thoughts were free to wander; she expected to find several shattered objects when she woke up.

Robin stared at his friends who were all slightly shocked at what he had just said. Each of them had their mouths wide open. Excluding Starfire who had a look of puzzlement on her face.

"What is this 'rape' you speak of, friend Robin?" Her voice was filled with innocence, and Robin hated to corrupt her naïve mind.

"Well, Starfire, um…when someone is raped that means that they were…well…" Cyborg cut the stammering Boy Wonder off.

"It means she was forced to have sex against her free will!" Anger and rage filled his voice. Starfire's jaw dropped immediately after hearing the blunt explanation. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she began to sob pathetically.

"We must find the horrible people who did this to her!" Even though she spoke between sobs, her voice was strong and stern. Cyborg and Beast Boy both nodded vigorously. Robin simply sat there on the couch, clenching his fists together.

"Where is the friend Raven? We must go get her and bring her back here." Robin shook his head slowly.

"No, she wants some time away from the tower. A friend of mine in Gotham is looking after her. She just needs some time to herself. She'll be back here in a few weeks or so…" Soaking it all in, the Titans all nodded their heads in understanding. Not another word was uttered as Robin turned and walked back into his room.

"Let's all go get some sleep…" Everyone got up and filed into their room, awaiting the next day. The next week. The next time they'd see Raven. It was going to be lonely in the Tower without her.

* * *

**A.N: So what did ya think? Did you like it! PLEASE R&R! I really like it! And I guess, if you want, you can flame...**


	3. Chapter 3

**A.N.: Well, here is the third chapter of the story…Enjoy!

* * *

**

It had been several hours since Bruce had gone to sleep. Since going to her room early that morning, he had not seen the teenager at all. Worrying, he had checked in on her once, only to find her sleeping peacefully. He left her there, not wanting to disturb her slumber. Whilst he was wandering from her room, Alfred bumped into him.

"Master Bruce, the Bat Signal…" That was all the butler had to say. Bruce raced to his secret lair and pulled his infamous costume. The cave door flew up as he jetted out of the lair in his Batmobile.

* * *

Alfred stared as Bruce zoomed away. Smiling blandly, he walked back up to the main house. Bloodcurdling screams pierced the usual quiet of Wayne Manor, and cautiously, the butler ran to Raven's room. Not bothering to knock, he forcefully pushed open the door. Expecting to find objects flying at him, he held his head protectively. Wincing his eyes, he looked for the source of the noise.

The teen's cries stopped abruptly. Seeing there was no danger in the room, he called out to her.

"Mistress Raven?" There was no reply; she was not here.

Then he noticed the mess in the room. Her window was wide open, the bed sheets were askew, and there were obvious signs of a struggle. Frantically, he began searching for clues. For anything. His keen eyes noticed the slip of paper lying on the mirror almost immediately. He plucked up the note, and held it with shaking hands. Nervously he began to read the ransom.

_**Dear Brucie, or shall I say Batman:**_

_**Your resident teenager is in the loving care of yours truly, the Jokerman. In order to get her back in one piece, you must reveal your identity to the city….and then let me take you…I suspect that you have already sped off to save the city…Good! Now is when the fun begins!**_

_**Love,**_

_**The Jokerman**_

"Damn, how does he know? How does he know?" Alfred began pacing the room, tearing the note into a million pieces.

"That would be a good question, wouldn't it?" The childish voice of the Jokerman sang in his ear. He spun around, face to face with the clown. His lips were curled into an evil grin. Before poor Alfred could do anything, the villain raised a lead pipe and struck the butler across the head.

Alfred lay in his own pool of blood, slipping into darkness. The Jokerman sniggered and jumped out the window into the night.

* * *

Batman's autopilot directed him to the heart of the city. Fog laid low to the ground, the moon lay hidden under thick, black clouds making the only source of light light poles. The Batman peered out at his surroundings, expecting one of his archenemies to pop out at any moment.

"WELL, WELL, WELL! The Bat has decided to pay us a visit!" An all too familiar voice rang out from nowhere.

"Where are you Joker? And what do you mean by us? I thought you worked alone!" The caped crusader walked in circles, searching expertly for his nemesis. A cold laugh was heard above him; he looked up at the surrounding rooftops to find the brightly clad Joker.

"I do…but that doesn't mean I can't have company sometimes, does it?" He held a trussed Raven over the edge of the ten-story building. Her eyes were closed, a look of pure terror clouding her face. Several light bulbs shattered. The Bat looked at the frail teen in shock. How did he know?

"Put her down!" He walked a step closer to the two.

"Another step and the bird girl goes splat!" His eyes twinkled happily; he was enjoying this. Sighing, Batman knew what the villain wanted.

"All right, I'll do whatever you want…just don't hurt her!" His voice was wavering slightly; he had grown attached. A hero didn't give up. But here he was giving up. But a hero doesn't put a young girl in danger. And he was trying to keep her out of danger. So his actions were noble, right?

"Goodie!" The Jokerman clapped his hands together in sheer delight. He placed Raven onto safety on the rooftop. "All right, Bat. You come with me, and she's safe. But first drop the belt." Batman did as he was told, hanging his head in shame.

Gripping her tightly, the Joker jumped off the rooftop and placed Raven at Bruce's feet. Then, he tied a glowing rope around the Bat's wrists. Bruce grimaced in pain as the rope sent a shock through his body.

"I've been waiting for an opportunity like this for years!" Jokerman swooned. He cackled shrilly before leading Batman into one of the dark alleys of Gotham.

* * *

**There you go: Chapter 3! Now, I might change it around a bit, but for the time being I like this. Hope you do too! R&R! NO FLAMES, but constructive criticism is allowed. I know I can approve a lot, so please don't feel bad sending me suggestions on how I can approve! Hope you enjoyed! J **


	4. Chapter 4

**A bit longer than chapter 3, and a whole lot better, if I may say so. I hope you enjoy! This may very well be the last chapter…I'm not sure yet. All right, let me clarify some things:**

**A.) Disclaimer: Don't own the Batman, the Jokerman, or the Teen Titans. If I did, then I wouldn't be writing FanFics, would I?**

**B.) Thoughts are in italics.**

**C.) Review, review, review! Flames aren't allowed; constructive criticism is allowed.**

**Thanks for reading this far, and enjoy!**

She lay there, her thoughts racing. Why hadn't she used her powers to help Batman? Why did she have to be so scared? She was weak, letting her emotions get the better of her.

Taking a deep breath, she cleared her mind and pictured Bruce Manor. Slowly, a black aura surrounded her body, taking the shape of a raven. Instantly she was teleported into her room in the manor.

She gasped at the scene that stood before her eyes. Alfred lay on the ground, blood all around him. Kneeling down, she placed her hand firmly on his head. Her hand and eyes glowed white as she healed him, using the last of her energy.

* * *

He blinked several times as his vision returned to normal. The young girl lie by his side, apparently in a deep slumber. Gently, he picked her up and carried her to the soft, warm bed. She sighed in her sleep and pulled the covers up over herself, curling into a small ball. Smiling, he left her room and walked into the kitchen, completely forgetting the events that had taken place in the last hour.

* * *

She awoke with a start. Her mind was foggy; her vision blurred. Slowly, the memories of the past night seeped back to her. A cruel man dangling her over a rooftop. A dark figure saving her by sacrificing himself. She had been appalled, mystified by the dark man. Who had he been?

Eyes growing wide, she snapped out of the bed. She jumped out of the bed and into the dark corridor.

"Bruce! Bruce where are you?" Her only reply was silence. Thoughts poured into her head. Her idea had now been confirmed. Bruce was the dark figure, the night's own shadow, the Caped Crusader. Bruce was Batman.

Groping for control of her emotions she took and deep, even breath, calming herself greatly. She had to save him. Had to protect him like he had her. But she was too weak; she needed help. Who could she get to help her? Distressing, she paced the hallway, thoughts racing in her head.

"_Who can help me? If I tell anyone, his secret will be exposed. Who? Who can help me?" _The idea popped into her head. _"Robin!" _He was the Dark Knight's son, he should already know by now. It was too late to call; all of the other Titans would be awoken and would ask questions. Telepathically, she sent the Boy Blunder a distress call, hoping he would respond.

"_Robin! I need your help…your father….he's been taken by a clown villain!" _She was basically screaming in her head. Would he get the message? Was he mad at her and not respond?

The next few seconds were Hell. She knew that as a mortal that it would take him longer to receive her thoughts…but this seemed like forever. Finally, thoughts that were not hers flooded into her mind.

"_Raven, are you okay? What do you mean clown villain? The Joker? Do…do you already know who my father is?…" _

"_Yes! He's Batman! I don't know who he was….but he kidnapped me….and…and….then he made a deal with Batman, my life for him….Robin, I don't know what else he could possibly do! Please help! Please!" _She was so distraught that even her thoughts were pleading and scared sounding. Several light bulbs cracked and china could be heard shattering. It was like she was a little girl again, unable to control her emotions, breaking everything in sight.

"_Calm down, Raven! Calm down! I'll be there as soon as I can…all right? You know how reckless I drive."_ With this, their telepathic conversation ended as she fell to the ground in a protective heap. She began rocking back and forth, sobbing uncontrollably, head between her knees. All seemed hopeless. Soon, the man who had taken her under his fatherly wing would have his identity shown to the entire city…the entire country…and he could possibly be murdered. Why did this always happen to her? Whenever she got close to someone, they would be punished. They would be hurt.

* * *

Robin raced back to the city of darkness, exceeding the speed limit. He didn't care, though. His father, his adoptive father, the man who had taken him in was in trouble. And Raven….poor, forlorn, frail Raven. He couldn't imagine the psychological traumas she had been through in the past month. Worrying, he hoped he could get to the manor before she did anything she would regret. Anything he would regret.

He was beginning to see the outline of the city against the dramatic night sky. His heart skipped a few beats. Here it was-the city he had left…deserted. Painful memories resurfaced as he faced the dark city, but he pushed them back into the black corners of his mind. Right now, all he was worried about was Raven and his father. The revealing of a superhero's identity didn't seem like much to most people, but it really was a big deal. Arch nemesis's of the hero could use the tasty bit of info for their own twisted need. It was a good way to get yourself killed. Especially in Gotham, the most dangerous place in the world for a hero who wanted his identity a secret.

* * *

He rammed the rusting gates of the mansion open and sped into the driveway. Taking the beauty of the Gothic mansion in, he stared at the approaching door. Sooner than he wanted he would have to face them all. Face all of his memories. The good and the bad.

He pounded on the door, but was given no answer. Banging the door open, he ran into the darkness of the house.

"Raven? Raven! Where are you?" Sobs from the hallway were his answer. Slowly, cautiously, he walked towards the source of the sound.

"Raven is that you?" He asked quietly. The small-looking girl that sat in front of him looked nothing like the Raven he remembered. She was weak and broken; her face glistened in the moonlight from tears. She sniffed a little before remarking.

"Don't come near me!" Her voice was hoarse as if she had been crying for awhile. He crouched down beside her, reaching out to her with his hand.

"Raven, it's me, Robin. I'm not gonna hurt you, I promise." She shied away and cringed in fear.

"Don't touch me!" More sobs escaped her as the sound of breaking glass could be heard in the kitchen. He sighed before trying once again.

"Raven, look at me." Her eyes avoided his face. Gently, yet forcefully, he grasped her chin and locked his masked eyes on her amethyst pools . "Raven, I'm not going to hurt you. Never."

As if a barrier had been knocked down between the two, she grabbed him into a hug. Refusing to let go, she cried on his shoulder while he patted her back gently, on the verge of tears himself. He whispered comforting words into her ears while her sobbing subsided. They stayed like this for several minutes before she finally broke the silence that had taken over.

"Robin, Bruce…we have to save him." She broke away from his grip and looked him straight in the eyes. He nodded and helped her off the cold floor.

"Let's go." His voice was full of authority, sternness, but at the same time, care and love. Together, they raced out of the door and into the darkness of Gotham. **(A.N. Everything in this chapter is dark! I mean, the freaking house is dark, the inside of it is dark, Gotham is freaking dark! What's up with that:demon side: I like the dark…It makes me happy. ****:normal side: It makes me happy too!)

* * *

**

He led her up and down the alleys and streets of Gotham. It had been so long since he had last been in the city, but he could still remember the complex twists and turns of the streets. After just a few minutes of running up and down the alleyways, they stopped at a small, dilapidated warehouse, the perfect lair for a villain.

Wicked laughter could be heard coming from inside.

"Fly little bat, fly!" Robin signed for Raven to follow his lead. She nodded, an unreadable look on her face.

He yanked the door off its hinges and sprinted into the warehouse; Raven followed, her hands already glowing black. Inside, a battered Batman hung from the wall, looking drained and old. The Joker stared at the two birds, an astonished expression taking over his face. Robin, seeing this, took advantage of it, and kicked the foe in the stomach. Jokerman grimaced in pain, grasping his stomach tightly. Raven encased the brightly clad clown in darkness, banging him against the wall. Robin went in for the kill. Giving it all he had he punched and kicked, giving the villain a bloody nose.

Joker fell to the ground, letting unconsciousness take over. Robin pulled handcuffs from his utility belt and cuffed his hands together. **(A.N. He sure does have _everything _in that belt, doesn't he? I wonder what he doesn't have…umm….sorry…off topic. Back to the story!)**

"Raven, go help Batman!" But he didn't even have to say that. Raven was already over there, helping the Bat out of his bonds. He landed gracefully on his feet. Seeing the blood that stained his costume, Raven immediately searched for signs of injury.

"Where are you hurt?" She pointed at the red stains.

"Um…my head…it's fine, though.." He groaned as she touched the wound. Raven gently placed her hand on his head and forced her healing energy out through her fingertips. The broken skin on his scalp began to close together; the knot that had begun to form quickly flattened.

Amazed at her abilities, he felt where the wound had been. Surprisingly, nothing, not even an ounce of blood had been left. Darting his eyes in astonishment between the two Titans, he chuckled under his breath.

"Wow. Your powers never cease to amaze me." He smiled warmly at her, though she could barely tell this through his mask.

Pulling the Joker onto his shoulders, the Caped Crusader walked proudly out of the warehouse, followed by the teenagers. Dropping the Joker off at the local penitentiary, they returned back to the manor.

* * *

All three of them sat around the dinner table, barely talking to each other.

"Bruce…your secret is safe with me." Raven said quietly. Bruce's eyes floated to her angelic face. He had grown attached to the broken teen in the last few days. It seemed now that her scar was healing, though he doubted she could ever be completely healed.

"I know." His eyes twinkled warmly as his face broke into a smile. This made her pale face turn bright red in color.

"Raven, I'm about to leave. Won't you please come home with me? The other Titans really miss you…" He spoke quietly, ready to accept rejection.

"I…I think I'm ready to come home…it seems like it's been awhile since I've been home." He stopped abruptly, shock clearly on his face.  
"All right! Let's get your stuff and go if we wanna get home before the others really start worrying…Oh, Raven, I never got to say how sorry I am." His excited ness could not be contained as he jumped around the kitchen like a three year old.

"It's alright…" She didn't know what to say; she had someone tell her they were sorry and mean it.

* * *

A few minutes later, she had gathered all her belongings and was ready to go. After saying a tearful good bye to Bruce, she was ready to return to Jump City.

Robin mounted his R-cycle and patted the seat for Raven to join. Fearfully, clumsily, she swung her leg over the side and grabbed him tightly. He revved the engine and sped off.

"Hold on, Raven." He rubbed her hand gently, but she subconsciously pulled it away. Waving wildly at the shrinking Bruce, Robin beamed back at her.

"Ready to go back home?" She nodded, gripping him even tighter, nearly suffocating him.

"You'll be all right; I promise I won't go too fast." She nodded, too afraid for words.

* * *

They arrived at the Tower less than an hour later. Raven's pale face was even whiter; bruises were around Robin's waist. She staggered of the motorcycle and stared at the ominous Tower. It towered above her; her heart skipped a beat.

"They…they aren't mad at me?" She asked gently.

"No, they'll be glad to see you." He grabbed for her hand, she accepted the gesture. Together, they walked into the Tower.

"Friend Raven, I am so happy to be seeing you once again!" Starfire gave her a bone crushing hug. Once Raven started choking, she released her friend, still smiling brilliantly.

Cyborg and Beast Boy walked forward. Cyborg smiled a little.

"Welcome back. We missed you a lot." Beast Boy hugged her tightly, causing her to flinch in terror.

"BB! Let her go, man!" Cyborg poked the green teen fiercely. He quickly released the terrified Raven. She breathed in deeply, trying to regain her composure.

"I'm so sorry…I completely forgot…" Robin glared at Beast Boy, sending chills down the green one's spine.

"It's all right. Just don't ever touch me again." With that, she ran into her room, slamming the door behind her.

"Good going, Beast Boy." Robin muttered, chasing after her.

"Raven, he didn't mean anything!" He knocked on her door ferociously, trying to bang it open. Pressing his ear to the door, he heard her mutter something under her breath.

"It's good to be home…I feel so loved here. Maybe they do really care…"

"We do, Raven, we really do." She opened the door a little, a smile painting her face.

"I know." She fell into his arms, and they hugged for several minutes. Then, she broke away from him and ran into the lounge. Grabbing Beast Boy up into a hug much like the ones Starfire gave. Confusion washed over his face and he returned the hug. Cyborg soon joined in, followed by Starfire, and finally by Robin.

The first three tore away from her, leaving the two birds wrapped in each others arms. While the others watched in amazement, Raven and Robin pressed their lips together and kissed each other passionately.

* * *

**Epilogue **

Robin's personal phone rang three times before he reached over to answer it. He answered the phone. He answered wearily.

"Hello?" Bruce answered the phone. Ever since the kiss, he and Raven had been spending more and more time together. Often, she would come into his room at night because of a nightmare or something. Nightmares were the only thing that now plagued her. It was the only reminisces she had of the rape.

"Robin! How's Raven been?" Robin chuckled at his father's interest in the girl. He sure did grow attached quickly.

"She's been doing really good. She'll let me and the guys get near her and touch her. The only thing that bugs her is nightmares, but she's gotten better. Our relationship has heated up though…we're going out." Bruce laughed good heartedly on the other end.

"That's good…"

"Any more trouble with Joker?" Robin was curious. His girlfriend had whooped his butt that night.

"Nope…he's afraid I'm gonna get Raven on him.." He laughed again before abruptly stopping.

"Well, Richard, I've got business to attend to. I love you…tell Raven she's welcome back anytime…"

"Bye…love you too." He mumbled into the phone. The phone clicked off and he was left alone on the other end. Raven silently walked in, tears in her eyes, looking like a little girl as a light bulb busted above her.

"Have another nightmare?" She nodded sleepily and climbed into bed with him. Tousling her hair, he pressed his lips against her forehead.

"I'm here, everything will be all better." She nodded again, this time allowing him to take her in his arms. Her deep violet eyes looked up at his masked ones. Shakily, she held out her hands and pulled off his mask. He didn't complain, instead, he smiled as if telling her to go on.

His electric, ice blue eyes pierced through her. They mesmerized her.

"I think I just fell in love with you again." She whispered. As if an invisible force was pushing them together, they kissed. She fell asleep in his arms, listening to his steady heartbeat.

"I love you." He whispered into the sleeping girl's ears.

"Love you too." She murmured back. He nuzzled against her, and soon, also fell to sleep.

**A.N. And so concludes the story Leaving. So how did you like it? All right, now review! Review or die! And read some of my other stories and review those too! A little romantic at the end here, kinda choppy, but overall, I hope it's a good story! Hoped you enjoyed it...**


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